


Swift Turn

by Tarashima



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, animal rescuing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 13:35:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12842289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarashima/pseuds/Tarashima
Summary: Kaiba isn't much for surprises, but some are more tolerable than others.





	Swift Turn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rainstormcolors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainstormcolors/gifts).



> I hope you enjoy it rainstormcolours ♥ I had fun writing this

”What the hell it is that Yuugi?”

Yuugi looked up from the living room floor where he had been sitting for a while. He hadn’t even heard Kaiba coming in from the shop. 

“Oh, hi Seto, I didn’t expect you to drop by just yet”, he said, sounding guilty. 

Kaiba frowned and crossed his arms, making him look more stern than usual and with the face that was the opposite of amused. 

“We’ve hung out every Wednesday for the past two years and I always stop by the same time, so I find that hard to believe.” 

He nodded towards the furball in Yuugi’s lap. “Is that what’s been distracting you and making you lose your sense of time?”

Yuugi didn’t have to answer that, looking up at Kaiba with honest eyes, stroking the fur of the small dog in his lap. 

He knew Kaiba wasn’t too fond of animals, and especially not dogs. Yuugi had never asked why but he had his suspicions that it was connected to Gozaburo somehow, which made it even harder to talk about. 

But Yuugi knew he should’ve given Kaiba a warning at least, no matter how distracting the stray dog had been in the last twenty-four hours. 

Kaiba made a sigh that hinted he wasn’t going to start an argument about Yuugi’s lack of time perception. He glowered at the dog. It met his gaze with a curious look, ears standing up.

“So when did that happen?” 

Yuugi looked down at the dog, its gleaming golden eyes met his, radiating with what could be interpreted as contentment. 

“I saw him shivering in an alley when I was on my way home after that late night meeting we had with the board,” he said, hearing an annoyed snort from Kaiba who had been very displeased with the unproductive meeting. “I’ve seen stray dogs before but this one… This one caught my eye, and looked so sad and terrified, like he was asking for help. And when I crouched and held out my hand, he came to me. Reluctantly, but he came. He didn’t even resist when I lifted him up and took him to a veterinarian. And well, after the examination, he was deemed surprisingly healthy, just heavily underfed and dirty.”

“So you brought him home because you were soft.”

It wasn’t a question. And Yuugi didn’t argue against it. 

“I fed him with some food I had gotten from the vet when we got back here and gave him a nice bath afterwards. He looked so happy and content. I just…”

Yuugi met Kaiba’s frown with gleaming eyes, softening Kaiba’s own. 

“I let him sleep with me and he fell asleep almost immediately, curled up against my stomach. And that’s when I knew I wouldn’t be able to let him go.” 

Kaiba’s composure eased up, and with only a moment of hesitation, he sat down beside Yuugi on the floor. Kaiba studied the dog more thoroughly this time. Traces of the stray dog he had been were gone and while he looked a bit too small, he still had enough features it would fool anyone into believing he had been a pet all his life.

“I still don’t like it that much, but I won’t deny he has charm. What’s his name?” 

Yuugi looked down at the dog, who was definitely being delighted by the attention he got. 

“I haven’t decided yet.” Purple eyes met blue.” Would you perhaps help with coming up with a name?”

Kaiba hesitantly turned his gaze back to the dog, meeting his playful eyes. Perhaps Kaiba read too much into it, but he saw hints of determination and wisdom, a glint of lighthearted and challenging attitude without being cheeky. 

It actually reminded him of… 

“Atem.”

Yuugi lifted his head, eyes wide. 

“What?”

“He reminds me of Atem. Hell if I know if it’s appropriate or not, but I think it could fit.”

Yuugi followed Kaiba’s example and studied the dog as well. And perhaps his judgement was clouded by Kaiba’s suggestion, but he could see what Kaiba was referring to. He was surprised he hadn’t seen it before. 

“Atem.” He said, trying it aloud. 

The dog perked his ears, slightly tilting his head. Something inside Yuugi fluttered.

“Atem?” Yuugi tried again as if he was searching for further assurance. 

The dog stood up and waggled his tail. 

Kaiba snorted. 

“I guess it’s decided then, since he seems to like it. And I guess that makes it final; you have a dog.”

Yuugi smiled as if he had won a big Magic and Wizards tournament. 

Carefully, Kaiba stroke the newly named Atem behind the ears, making the dog tilt his head even more towards Kaiba’s hand. Kaiba was definitely not used to this, but he didn’t feel against it either. It was actually kind of nice.

“I never would’ve thought I’d be reminded of him again. Not like this.” 

Yuugi stroke Atem’s fur, eyes still thrilled but sprinkled with the everlasting heartache that would never leave him. 

“Me neither, but I agree, it fits him. I… I actually feel content about it.” 

Kaiba let out a small laugh. 

“If we had been a couple, this wouldn’t have worked as well as it did now.”

Yuugi was taken aback a little by that. He looked up at Kaiba. 

“What?” He managed to say. 

Kaiba, realizing his slip, looked away. That was not something he had ever planned to say, or at least not like this. A year of slow built-up feelings for his closest working partner and plans for making a move crashed down like a canceled project in the game developing department at Kaiba Corporation. 

Yuugi definitely was surprised by that sudden reveal, but as the never-ending gamer he was, he adapted quickly to the new rules. After all, he had seen clues of it for a year, he just hadn’t wanted to misunderstand anything and act on feelings that he was alone in having. 

“Well, I’m pretty sure that if we were a couple, I would’ve called you sooner and prepared you.” He answered. 

They glanced at each other, Kaiba having a slightly out of character confounded look in his eyes. Yuugi’s own warm ones soothed his mind, and without thinking about it, he gave Yuugi a smile he reserved only for Mokuba. 

Atem made a happy yap, feeling every bit of the elated atmosphere in the room. 

Yuugi smiled back at Kaiba before turning his gaze back to the excited tail-waggling fur-ball before him. A reluctant hand found Yuugi’s and intertwined with it. He squeezed his fingers around them, making sure that Kaiba understood it was okay. Words weren’t necessary now, actions talked well enough on their own. 

Twenty-four hours ago, Yuugi never could’ve imagined he would be in a situation like this, and if someone had given him a prediction of the future scenario, he would’ve been very sceptical. 

And yet here he was, with a happy dog in front of him, and a smiling Kaiba holding his hand.

Yuugi suddenly felt overwhelmed but very content, looking forward to the unexpected future ahead of the three of them. 

Pharaoh Atem had been what brought Yuugi and Kaiba together after his passing. Perhaps Atem the dog would bring them even closer. 

The End


End file.
